Method for treating knitted or woven broad material with liquid and an apparatus therefor

ABSTRACT

SATISFACTORY TREATMENT, WITH A CIRCULATING LIQUID, OF BROAD FABRICS, SUCH AS JERSEY, TAFFETA AND CARPET, IS EFFECTED BY CIRCULATING UNIDIRECTIONALLY SUCH A FABRIC THROUGH A U-SHAPED PASSAGEWAY FORMED BY AN OUTER VESSEL OF A CONCAVE CROSS SECTIONAL CONFIGYRATION AND BY AN INNER ASSEMBLY OF A CONVEX CROSS SECTIONAL CONFIGURATION, OF A TREATING APPARATUS, WHILE ONLY LONGITUDUNALLY FOLDING THE FABRIC AS IT ENTERS IN SAID PASSAGEWAY.

Nov. 23, 1971 MASUDA 3,621,680

METHOD FOR TREATING KNITTED 0R WOVEN BROAD MATERIAL WITH LIQUID AND AN APPARATUS THEREFOR Filed May 25, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR WM v y ATTORNEYS Nov. 23, 1971 MASUDA 3,621,680

METHOD FOR TREATING KNITTED OR WOVEN BROAD MATERIAL WITH LIQUID AND AN APPARATUS THEREFOR Filed May 23, l969= 2 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,621,680 METHOD FOR TREATING KNITTED 0R WOVEN BROAD MATERIAL WITH LIQUID AND AN APPARATUS THEREFOR Masao Masuda, 80, Z-chome, Shimoyama-ku, Nagoya, Japan Filed May 23, 1969, Ser. No. 827,335 Claims priority, application Japan, May 29, 1968, 43/ 36,059 Int. Cl. Bc 3/02 US. (1]. 68--177 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Satisfactory treatment, with a circulating liquid, of broad fabrics, such as jersey, taffeta and carpet, is effected by circulating unidirectionally such a fabric through a U-shaped passageway formed by an outer vessel of a concave cross sectional configuration and by an inner assembly of a convex cross sectional configuration, of a treating apparatus, while only longitudinally folding the fabric as it enters in said passageway.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (a) Field of the invention The present invention is concerned with a method suitable for treating knitted or woven broad materials especially jersey cloth, taffeta, carpet or like materials, which easily develop creases or fixed wrinkles and accordingly, dye-patches in dyeing operations-without causing any undesirable effect of treatment including the aforesaid dye-patches. The invention also relates to an apparatus suitable for putting the aforesaid method into practice.

(b) Description of the prior art Typical dyeing methods of the prior art include one which utilizes a wince and another one which utilizes a jigger, and further include the beam dyeing method and the rotary dyeing method. However, these prior methods invariably had disadvantages, namely, that not only a considerable length of time was required to complete the dyeing, but also they gave rise to the problem of development of creases or fixed wrinkles and markings such as rope-like markings and patched selvages. Further, when cloths were dyed, there was the tendency that their faces became roughened due to the development of nap or flufiing and broken pattern or that the cloths became hardened due to the applied tension which occurred during the dyeing process, resulting in their feel being spoiled greatly. Nor has there been proposed any apparatus which is suited for effecting a satisfactory treatment, with liquid, of broad cloths and other Woven or knitted broad materials.

Recently, a new dyeing technique for conducting high speed dyeing has been developed and put into practice. This technique uses a jet nozzle for drawing up a piece of cloth under treatment from the dyeing bath wherein it has been immersed. Although this method permits the dyeing to be carried out at a high speed, it has a disadvantage that the cost of operation and equipment is high and that the cloth is exposed to a considerably great amount of tension during the circulation of the cloth in the treating system, resulting in that the finished cloth is undesirably hard with a loss of feel. Accordingly, this prior method and the apparatus therefor are both not suited for the dyeing of knitted or woven materials, especially knitted fabrics which, when subjected to an excessively great amount of tension, will develop stretching of their meshes.

When knitted or woven materials, especially knitted jersey fabrics, taffetas and carpets, are treated by relying on the aforesaid prior method and apparatus, there are encountered various obvious shortcomings, such as those mentioned above, during the treatment, and thus, no proper treatment effect is obtained by relying on this prior method and the apparatus therefor. Also, when jersey cloths made of acrylic fibers, among all synthetic fibers, are treated by relying on the aforesaid prior meth- 0d and apparatus, the materials under treatment lose their firmness and turn into masses of soft fabrics, and as a consequence, these materials hinder the treating operation, constituting a cause for the failure of a continuous treating operation.

After an extensive research to find a method and an apparatus-for treating, with liquid, broad fabrics, such as jersey, taffeta and carpetwhich are free of the foregoing disadvantages and shortcomings of the prior art, the inventor has found a new method and an apparatus to be used for the aforesaid purposes, both of which are suitable for carrying out a treatment, with liquid, of these broad fabrics.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is, therefore, an important object of the present invention to provide a method for treating, with a liquid, knitted or woven materials, especially broad knitted fabrics and other broad fabrics such as tafieta and carpet, which method is free of the aforesaid disadvantages and shortcomings and minimizes the effect of the current of the treating liquid on the material being treated and also minimizes the tension applied to the material as the latter is transferred from one place to another in the treating apparatus, thereby improving the quality and the feel of the treated material, and also to provide an apparatus suitable for putting the method of the present invention into practice.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for treating, With a liquid, knitted or woven broad materials, and an apparatus therefor, which are both relatively simplified and which permit the treating operation to be performed for a relatively short period of time and which are suitable for such treating operations, with a liquid, as are performed at a high temperature and a high pressure.

More specifically, the present invention contemplates the carrying-out of a treatment, with liquid, of broad fabrics by the use of a treating apparatus which comprises: a vessel having a concave cross sectional configuration and having a transverse length perpendicular to said vertical section and suitable for receiving the breadth of a broad material to be treated; and inner assembly located inside said vessel and having a convex cross sectional configuration substantially corresponding to the concave configuration of the vessel and including therein one or more groups of fluid channels and also including motordriven pumps for these channels. One of the channels in each group being intended for supplying fresh liquid into the vessel, one another being intended for successively draining a part of the liquid from said up-going path and the remainder being assigned for injecting the drained liquid into the down-going path, all of which operations being effected by said pump, said vessel and said inner assembly forming a down-going path and an up-going path which are joined together to form a continuous single passageway for both the material under treatment and the treating liquid to pass therethrough; and feeding means provided above said vessel for feeding the material being treated from the up-going path into the down-going path. According to the present invention, the broad material is subjected to a circulatory treatment with a liquid which is also circulated through the apparatus, said treatment being effected by feeding the transversely spread materialwhile being longitudinally foldedinto the downgoing path from thereabove after drawing it up from said up-going path, and thus, the material is treated with the liquid while it passes through the apparatus in the form of being spread transversely.

According to the prior methods and apparatuses therefor, the material under treatment became rope-like in some portions thereof during the passage of the material through the apparatus, resulting in a decrease in the breadth of the material-though the extent and number of these portions varied with the individual instanceswithout the initial transversely spread state of the material being retained. Accordingly, when jersey fabrics, for example, especially those made of acrylic synthetic fibers among all synthetic fibers, are treated with a liquid at a relatively low temperature, the materials being treated will lose their initial firmness and become soft during their circulation through the treating apparatus, and will turn into masses. These masses not only hamper the sound operation but also constitute a cause for the development of creases or fixed wrinkles in the treated materials. Also, certain types of material to be treated, especially taffeta and carpet, will naturally be subjected to a tension when these materials travel in rope-form instead of being transversely spread during their circulatory treatment, and, as a result, there will easily develop longitudinal creases or fixed wrinkles in the materials. Such creases or fixed wrinkles constitute a cause of dye-patches, especially in the dyeing treatment. Thus, the result is that there will be obtained finished goods which invariably lack uniformity in quality. Taking the aforesaid points into consideration, the present invention has been worked out to obtain the desired effect of treatment, with a liquid, of woven or knitted broad materials-which has been impossible with the prior artby circulating such a broad material through a treating apparatus while retaining the fully spread state of the material throughout the treating operation.

The vessel incorporated in the apparatus of the present invention which is intended for the treatment of broad fabrics with a liquid is of an upwardly concave cross sectional configuration and is of a certain transverse lengthextending in the direction perpendicular to the aforesaid cross section-sufficient for receiving the breadth of the material to be treated. This transverse length of the vessel is necessary in the treatment of a broad fabric, since in the treatment the fabric is received in the form of being spread transversely relative to its length. The term certain transverse length is, therefore, used in this specification in the aforesaid sense. The inner assembly which is received inside the vessel, as stated above, is of a downwardly convex vertical sectional configuration corresponding to, but smaller than the concave vertical sectional configuration of the vessel. This inner assembly also is of a certain transverse length-in the direction perpendicular to the cross section of this assembly. The concave vessel and the convex inner assembly are arranged so that there are formed, between the concave inner surface of the vessel and the convex outer surface of the inner assembly, a down-going path and an up-going path with extends continuously from said down-going path, both of which paths jointly forming a generally U-shape continuous passageway for the smooth passage therethrough of the material to be treated and of the treating liquid, as will be clearly understood by referring to the accompanying drawings. Accordingly, the aforesaid concave and convex cross sectional configurations of the vessel and the inner assembly are not limited to any particular configurations, provided that these two members jointly can form an appropriate passageway for both the material to be treated and the liquid. The inner assembly, on the other hand, is provided, inside thereof, with a plurality of sets of channels, one of the channels in each set communicating with the up-going path and another one communicating with the down-going path, of the material being treated and the treating liquid. A feeding means is provided above the vessel for drawing up the material being treated from the up-going path which is one of the paths constituting the aforesaid U- shape continuous single passageway. The feeding means is usually comprised of a reel or reels which are driven from an appropriate driving source. However, the feeding means may be replaced by any desired device provided that it is capable of performing the operation of drawing up and feeding the material which is to be treated. Thus, there is no limitation on the type or the number of the reels or the like which are used. Also, there may be provided an idle reel and a guiding rod or the like as required. A suppressing roller may also be provided in order to prevent the slipping of the material running on the reels. In the treating apparatus of the present invention, the material to be treated is transferred by the feeding means in such a way that, the material is introduced, in a longitudinally folded state, into the treating liquid contained in the down-going path which constitutes one of the U-shape passageway. Thereafter, the material which has been introduced into this down-going path tends to stay relatively stationary on the surface of the liquid by virtue of its own buoyancy and also of the buoyancy afforded by the air contained in the material per se. The portions of the materialwhich are fed successively into this downgoing path in the same fashion following the preceding portions which have been already introduced into the down-going path in the form of longitudinally folded state will pile upon said preceding folded portions of the material that have been already introduced into said path. As a result, the weight of the portions of the material that have piled up on the previously introduced portions will cause the latter portions to be pushed downwardly into the treating liquid contained in the path. Then, these preceding portions of the material will be allowed to travel through the bottom of the U-shape passageway into the up-going path located on the right side of the apparatus and to proceed along the wall surface, on the right side, of the inner assembly to be drawn up therefrom by the feeding means to undergo circulation in the treating apparatus. In the treating apparatus of the present invention, during the aforesaid operation, arrangement is provided so as to continuously drain from the upgoing path, a part of the treatment liquid contained in this path and to supply the same into the down-going path to circulate the treatment liquid through the apparatus. This arrangement comprises one or more groups of channels formed within the inner assembly, the channels in each group leading from the up-going path to the downgoing path, and one or more pumping means for these channels.

Breadth is used as a synonym for width in describing the fabrics.

The present invention is concerned basically with an entire process of liquid-treatment of a broad fabric, such as taffeta carpet, which is performed While retaining the breadth of the fabric in its transversely fully spread condition continuously for the entire course of treatment.

To attain this end, the present invention is characterized in its most preferred form by the following features:

(a) The treatment bath (comprising a vessel and an inner assembly). Not that the inner assembly is provided with means for draining a part of the treating liquid.

(b) The treating apparatus further comprises feed means provided above a vessel for feeding the material being treated.

The fabric being treated in drawn up from the up-going path, and is fed into the down-going path where it is fed in the state of being folded in longitudinally spaced folds. A part of the liquid contained in the up-going path is continuously injected into the down-going path.

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic cross sectional elevation, showing a modified embodiment of the feeding means; and

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic cross sectional elevation, showing an embodiment of the treating apparatus of the closed type.

Like parts are indicated by like reference numerals throughout the drawing for the simplicity of explanation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The treating method and the apparatus therefor of the present invention will hereunder be described in detail by referring to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a cross sectional elevation, showing a representative example of the treating apparatus which is used in putting the method of the present invention into practice. FIG. 2 is a plan view of this apparatus. In the drawings, reference numeral 1 represents a vessel having a concave vertical sectional, side configuration. Numeral 2 represents an inner assembly which is disposed inside said vessel and which has a convex vertical sectional side configuration corresponding to the concave configuration of the vessel. The vessel 1 and the inner assembly 2 jointly form a substantially U-shape continuous passageway 3. Numerals 4 and 5 represent reels which are provided above the vessel 1. Numerals 6, 7 and 8 represent guide rods, respectively. Numeral 9 represents a means for longitudinally folding the knitted or woven broad material to be treated and is provided below the reel 4 and above the down-going path. This means 9 is caused to unake reciprocating movement in the directions indicated by the arrow B, by virtue of the reciprocating circular movement of the shaft 10 to which said means 9 is secured. The material A is longitudinally folded as it is brought into contact with this means 9 after being fed from the reel 4. For the convenience of having the apparatus of the present invention understood better and easily, the following description will be directed to the manner in which the material A to be treated is transferred from one place to another within the treating apparatus.

Let us now assume that a knitted or woven broad material A is applied-in the form of being transversely spread (without being transversely folded as it is so with an ordinary winch)-to the treating apparatus as shown in FIG. 1, and that the vessel is filled with a treating liquid up to the level LL As the reel 4 is rotated in the direction of the arrow, the material A is longitudinally folded successively by the folding means 9, and the folded material is allowed to drop by its own weight into the vessel, retaining the form of being longitudinally folded. The distance between the folding means and the treating liquid is controlled as desired depending on the factors such as the type of the fabric to be treated. Also, the mode of folding effected by the folding means 0 may be varied by adjusting the magnitude of the reciprocal pivotal movement of the shaft 10. Thus, this longitudinal folding of the broad fabric is exactly what takes place actually during the treatment. The portions of the material A which have been thus introduced in the vessel stays in a relatively stationary state on the surface of the treating liquid by virtue of the buoyancy of the material itself and also of the buoyancy of the air contained within the material A. As the portions of the material are fed in succession following the preceding portions, the former are piled upon the preceding portions already floating on the surface of the liquid, with the result that these latter portions which are floating on the liquid surface are forced into the liquid by virtue of the weight of the portions piled thereon. As the fabric is provided with undulating folds along its length between the reel 4 and the liquid level L, and the folded fabric piles up on the surface L with lower undulations only being pushed under the surface L by the accumulation of more undulations at the top, a steady state stack of folds is created whose upper extend is so near the folding means that there is insufficient free fall of the material from the folding means to the top of the stack as to permit unfolding of the material. Then, the portions of the material which have been forced into the liquid are forced to descend, in the form of being folded longitudinally, through the downgoing path 3a of the U-shape passageway 3, and to proceed along the bottom portion of the inner assembly to enter into the adjacent up-going path 3b. Thereafter, the material A is driven to ascend through the up-going path while passing along the wall surface, on the right side of the inner assembly, approaching, by virtue of its own buoyancy, closer to the surface of the treating liquid contained in this path. As this material travels closer to the surface of the liquid, it turns into a state in which the material can be easily drawn upwardly. As the material reaches the surface of. the liquid, a portion of the material emerges from the surface of the liquid. This portion of thelmaterial is then drawn up by the reel 5 and fed to the rec 4.

In the passageway 3 which is fonmed by the vessel 1 and the inner assembly 2, if the down-going path which is located on the side at which the material is introduced into the apparatus has an excessively large width (L-L then there will occur a derangement of the neat folds of the material and, as a consequence there will occur an entanglement of the deranged portions of the material. Therefore, the width (II-L of the down-going path in this section thereof desirably is about 2 times or less, preferably 1.5 times or less, that of the width of the longitudinal folds of the material. On the other hand, in the up-going path which is located on the side at which the material is drawn up from the treating liquid, the material does not tend to become entangled, and what is more, it is desirable that the longitudinally folded material is unfolded in this particular section of the passageway 3 because the unfolding of the material in the upgoing path contributes to the prevention of the development of creases and fixed wrinkles. For this reason, it is desirable that the up-going path have a width (L -L which is greater than that (LL of the down-going path located on the side at which the material is introduced into the apparatus. It is desirable to set the down-going path to up-going path width proportions (L -L :LL at 1:1.5-1 :2 or greater than this range. There is no particular limitation on the shape of the upper surface of the inner assembly 2. It may have a horizontal upper surface, but, desirably, the surface is inclined downwardly as it extends from the upper end of the up-going path from which the material is drawn up toward the upper end of the down-going path into which the material to be treated is introduced. By the use of a treating apparatus equipped with an inner assembly having such an inclined upper surface, the treating liquid which is carried by the portion of the drawn-up material and which drops in the form of drips onto the upper surface of the inner assembly is allowed to flow into the down-going path located on the side at which the: material is introduced into the apparatus and, at the same time, the edge of the inner assembly located adjacent to the tilted upper surface thereof and facing the down-going path performs the longitudinal folding of the material as the latter is introduced into this path after contacting the edge of the inner assembly. This falling of the drops of treating liquid facilitates the smooth slithering of the material along the upper surface of the inner assembly. For this reason, the treating apparatus equipped with an inner assembly of this type is suited especially for the treatment of such a material as pile-carpet which carries with it a large amount of treating liquid as the material is drawn up from the treating liquid and which, as a matter of course, gives out a large amount of drops of liquid falling onto the upper surface of the inner assembly. The portions of the material which are about to pile are spontaneously folded longitudinally immediately before falling onto the liquid surface. For this reason, it is possible to omit the provision of a folding means 9. It is to be noted, however, that in case there is provided no folding means, there might occur a derangement of the neat procession of the material in the passageway. This derangement can cause various undesirable troubles such as an entanglement of the material. It is, therefore, desirable that the material be forced to be folded by some appropriate folding means. FIG. 3 shows an example of the folding means, in which an ordinary J-shaped box 17 is used. FIG. 4 shows a modified example in which this J-sh-aped box 17 has a foremost end portion curved more intensivel inwardly so as to impart greater pressure to one side of the dropping material and to produce folds. FIG. 5 shows an instance in which a similar folding effect is obtained without the provision of any particular folding means, or more specifically, in this instance, the reel 4 is positioned farther toward the right hand, away from the position of the reel 4 seen in FIG. 1 so that the reel 4 is disposed just above the mid portion of the inner assembly 2. This arrangement is operative in such a way that the material which is fed by the reel 4 is caused to drop onto the inclined smooth upper surface of the forward end portion of the inner assembly 2 and to be folded as the material slithers, via the edge of the inner assembly, into the down-going path. In the embodiment of FIG. 5, the upper surface of the inner body 2 slants down to the left and underlies the feeding means 4. The wet material tends to fold over upon the slanted surface, then fall off as its weight and slackness accumulates, maintaining a folded condition due to the accumulation of folds immediately preceding it in the down-going path of treatment liquid. FIG. 6 shows a modified example of the reel 4. In this example, the reel 4 is oval-instead of being circularin its cross sectional shape. By the use of this reel 4, the material which is fed from this reel is folded longitudinally when the material contacts the reel 4 which is rotated. In the example of FIG. 1, the feeding of the material is effected by two reels 4 and 5. It should be understood, however, that there is no limitation on the number of the feed reels to be employed. The feeding of the material effected by the reels may be facilitated by the provision of a plurality of guide rods 6, 7 and 8 as shown in FIG. 1. It is, however, desirable to provide means for adjusting the lateral position of the travelling material-relative to the length of the reel 5which may be displaced sideways relative to the direction of the travel. Numeral 15 in FIG. 2 shows an example of this position-adjusting means. This means 15 is operative in such a way that it moves the reel 5 lengthwise by virtue of, for example, an oil or hydraulic pressure afforded by said means to thereby adjust the lateral position of the material so that the latter is maintained in its correct position. It is needless to say that the correction of the lateral position of the material may be effected by tilting the reel 5 in either of the opposite lengthwise directions as required.

The channels 12, 12a, represent the suction channels of the pumps 14, 14a, These suction channels 12, 12a, are provided in the inner assembly on the side leading to the up-going path 31), and preferably, these channels are provided in the bottom portion of said upgoing path 3b. Channels 13, 13a, are intended for injecting, by the driving force afforded by the pumps 14, 14a, the treating liquid-which has been sucked into the suction channels by these pumpsinto the downgoing path 3a. These liquid-injection channels 13, 13a, are provided in the inner assembly on the side leading to the down-going path, and preferably, these channels are provided in the upper portion of this path. These channels 13, 13a, may have their outlets positioned above the surface of the liquid contained in the down-going path. Channels 11, 11a, are intended for introducing a fresh supply of the treating liquid. In the treating apparatus shown in FIG. 2, the channels 12, 12a, 12b, are seen to communicate, via the pumps 14, 14a, 14b, with the channels 13, 13a, 13b, respectively. It should be understood, however, that a pump may be provided between the channels 12 and 12a so that this pump may be used in common for these two channels. Also, the group of channels 12, 12a, 12b, and the group of channels 13, 13a, 13b, need not be arranged in such a way that the channels of one of these groups correspond in number to the channels of the other group. For example, there may be provided two liquid injection channels 13 and 13 for a single liquid suction channel. Any modified arrangement can be employed provided that it works in such a way that a part of the treating liquid contained in the up-going path and injected into the down-going path in such a Way as to facilitate the uniform treatment, with the liquid, of the material throughout the entire transverse breadth thereof. Pumps 14, 14a, 14b, are adapted to continuously drain a part of the treating liquid from the up-going path 3b and to positively inject the same into the down-going path 3a to elevate the level of the liquid surface L-L higher than the liquid surface L -L This difference in the levels of the liquid surfaces in these two paths will force the entire liquid contained in the passageway 3 to form a current flowing from the down-going path into which the material to be treated is introduced toward the up-going path from which the material is drawn up. Accordingly, the material is imparted a travelling drive and, what is more, the portion of the liquid which contacts the material is successively replaced by another portion of the liquid. Furthermore, the provision of a plurality of liquid injection channels 13, 13a, 13b, contributes to making the currents of the treating liquid injected through the plurality of injection channels into the down-going path constant and uniform for the entire transverse length of the vessel, without the injection being confined locally with respect to the transverse length of the down-going path. This fashion of liquid injection contributes greatly to the improvement of the effect of the treatment. Especially in dyeing, the present invention eliminates the occurrence of un-even dyeing, and as a result, the development of undesirable dye-patches in the treated material is obviated. The arrangement that the down-going path located on the side at which the material is introduced into the vessel is narrow in width and that the up-going path located on the side at which the material is drawn up is greater in width than that of the former insures the diffusion of the current of the treating liquid entering into the up-going path. This diffusion of the liquid current contributes to the longitudinal unfolding, in the up-going path, of the folded material. There is no limitation on the type of the pumps to be used in the draining and the injection of the treating liquid. The pumps which are used in the present invention must produce a force only to an extent sufiicient for accomplishing the operation consisting of continuously draining a part of the treating liquid from the up-going path located on the side at which the material is drawn up and injecting the same into the down-going path located on the side at which the material is introduced into the vessel. Thus, the pumps, according to the present invention, are not required to produce a particularly great pressure. For this reason, the pumps need not be centrifugal pumps. In the preesnt invention, it is sufficient to provide pumps of a small head, large capacity type. If pumps of the aforesaid type are used, they can have a small horsepower which is on the order of about a quarter of the horsepower required in the prior art pumps.

Also, it is desirable to provide a perforated plate-as indicated at 16on the surface located on the right side of the inner assembly to reduce the frictional resistance which will be otherwise caused between the travelling material being treated and the external surface on the aforesaid side of the inner assembly. The provision of this perforated plate 16 also plays the role of preventing the derangement, in the up-going path of the liquid current caused by the suction of the pumps. Furthermore, this perforated plate 16 facilitates the smooth entry of the treating liquid into the suction inlets of the pumps.

In FIG. 1 is shown a treating apparatus of the open type. However, the treating apparatus may be of the closed type as shown in FIG. 7. A treating apparatus of the closed type is suited for a treatment with a liquid at a high temperature and under a high pressure.

As stated previously, the present invention is suitable especially for dyeing, but it can be equally effectively applied to such a treatment with a liquid as scouring, degumming and washing with water.

According to the present invention, broad materials to be treated are circulated in the state of being spread transversely thereof through the entire treating apparatus without being turned into rope-form throughout the entire course of treatment. As a consequence, there develop no longitudinal fixed wrinkles or creases. Accordingly, there develop no dye-patches in the materials when they are dyed, by dint of the use of the apparatus of the present invention. Also, the materials being treated are subjected to very little amount of tension either longitudinally or vertically thereof. Therefore, there is hardly formed any crease or fixed wrinkle in the treated material, resulting in that the treated materials do not lose their feel or other desirable properties. For this reason, the present invention is desirable especially for dyeing, since the dyed materials retain the deep and uniform effect of dyeing even in case the materials treated are thick fabrics. Moreover, the present invention is suitable especially for the treatment, with a liquid, of knitted broad materials such as jersey, taffeta and carpet, which are easily adversely influenced by the effect of the resistance produced by the treating liquid. Thus, according to the present invention, the tension which is applied to the materials being treated is negligibly small, and as a result, the quality and the feel of the treated materials improve markedly. Furthermore, the present invention permits the treatment to be performed for a short period of time by the use of a treating apparatus of a relatively simplified structure. It should be noted also that the present invention is suitable especially for a treatment, with a liquid, at a high temperature and under a high pressure.

In case the present invention is applied to a treating process, such as dyeing process, which requires heating, appropriate heating means may be provided in appropriate section or sections of the treating system. The heating means may be provided externally of the treating system.

It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above. Various modifications of the invention may be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for treating a knitted or woven endless broad material with a treating liquid comprising: a vessel having an upwardly concave cross sectional configuration and containing the treating liquid; an inner assembly having a downwardly convex cross sectional configuration, said inner assembly being disposed within but spaced from said vessel to form a substantially U-shape continuous single passageway therebetween for the passage of both the material to be treated in a widthwise fully spread condition and the treating liquid, said passageway including a down-going path formed between the vessel and the inner assembly and further including an upgoing path extending from said down-going path, the transverse dimension of said passageway perpendicular to said U- shaped cross section being sufficient for receiving the full breadth of the material; feeding means provided above said vessel for feeding the material being treated; folding means between the feeding means and the down-going path of said passageway for forming a plurality of longitudinally successive folds about transversely extending axes in said widthwise fully spread material so that the folds extend across the full Width of the material; and means provided in said inner assembly for continuously draining a part of the treating liquid from said up-going path and injecting the same into said down-going path, so that the treatment of said fully spread material may include: drawing the material up from said tip-going path and feeding the same into said down-going path while folding the material into a plurality of longitudinally successive folds about transversely extending axes as said material enters into said path and. continuously injecting into the down-going path a part of the liquid drained from the up-going path, to thereby circulate the material unidirectionally through said treating liquid circulated through said apparatus.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which the continuous draining and injection of the treating liquid is effected by at least one pump to create a difference in the head of the liquid between the down-going path and the up-going path in both of which is contained the liquid to thereby produce the circulation of the treating liquid through the passageway.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which the folding of the material is effected by upper surface means of the inner assembly, declining from the up-going path side toward the down-going path side, underlies said feeding means and defines said folding means, and the continuous draining and injection of the treating liquid is effected by at least one pump to create a difference in the head of the liquid between the down-going path and the up-going path in both of which is contained the liquid to thereby produce the circulation of the treating liquid through the passageway.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,267,718 12/1941 Campbell et a1 68178 X 3,016,728 1/1962 Mann et al 68l77 3,510,251 5/1970 Fujii et al. 68-177 X 3,511,068 5/1970 Fujii 68l77 H. HAMPTON HUNTER, Primary Examiner 

